200 celebrate short life of Noah Pozner

Updated 11:41 am, Monday, February 18, 2013

Veronique Pozner leaves the funeral for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, December 17, 2012. less

Veronique Pozner leaves the funeral for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, ... more

Fairfield Police Chief Gary McNamara, right, hugs a family member outside the funeral for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, December 17, 2012. less

Fairfield Police Chief Gary McNamara, right, hugs a family member outside the funeral for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham ... more

Mourners leave the funeral for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, December 17, 2012. less

Mourners leave the funeral for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, December 17, ... more

Mourners leave the funeral for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, December 17, 2012. less

Mourners leave the funeral for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, December 17, ... more

A procession of police motorcycles from area departments leads the funeral procession for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, from the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, December 17, 2012. less

A procession of police motorcycles from area departments leads the funeral procession for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, from the ... more

Senator Richard Blumenthal, right, leaves the funeral for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, December 17, 2012. less

Senator Richard Blumenthal, right, leaves the funeral for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in ... more

Mourners leave the funeral for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, December 17, 2012. less

Mourners leave the funeral for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, December 17, ... more

Mourners leave the funeral for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, December 17, 2012. less

Mourners leave the funeral for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, December 17, ... more

Lenny Pozner leaves the funeral service for his six year-old Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, December 17, 2012. less

Lenny Pozner leaves the funeral service for his six year-old Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, ... more

Mourners leave the funeral for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, December 17, 2012. less

Mourners leave the funeral for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, December 17, ... more

Veronique Pozner leaves the funeral for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, December 17, 2012. less

Veronique Pozner leaves the funeral for her six year-old son Noah Pozner, killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, at the Abraham L. Green Funeral home in Fairfield on Monday, ... more

Noah, 6, was described by his uncle Alexis Haller as "smart as a whip," with a rambunctious streak. His twin sister, Arielle, was also in the school Friday morning, but in a different classroom. She survived.

"They were always playing together, they loved to do things together," Haller said. "When his mother, a nurse, would tell him she loved him, he would answer, "Not as much as I love you, Mom."

In his eulogy, Haller said that Noah would had been a great man, had he lived.

"He was already a very good reader and had just bought a Ninjago book at a book fair that he was really excited about reading," Haller said. "He was also very excited about going to a birthday party he had been invited to. It was to take place on Saturday, Dec. 15."

Noah was said to be the youngest of the victims.

Some of the mourners said afterward the fact that there were many there who had no connection to Noah brought at least some measure of comfort to the devastated family.

The boy was also movingly eulogized by his mom, Veronique, those who were at the service said. He's also survived by his father, Lenny, as well as his brothers and sisters Danielle, Michael, Sophia and his twin, Arielle.

Noah's service was among the first of what will become a week of funerals and wakes; 20 children and six school staff members were killed in the slaughter at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown.

"It was a very touching and very moving ceremony," said Rabbi Yehoshua S. Hecht, the spiritual leader of Beth Israel of Westport and Norwalk "It was good to see that there were so many people who did not know the family came and participated."

Hecht said that Noah was celebrated as a "pure, innocent child" who brought joy to all who knew him.

"As his older brother said, `He could have been anything had he had the chance to grow,' " he said.

Security was tight at the event, and not just because it was attended by the governor, Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Sen.-elect Christopher Murphy, as well as other dignitaries. Police spokesman Lt. James Perez said that as a precaution, the nearby parking lots, grounds and even the flowers sent to the home were carefully checked for anything out of the ordinary.

A detail of about 25 Fairfield officers was assigned to the funeral; they were joined by a half-dozen state troopers.

The street in front of the Abraham L. Green & Sons funeral home on Beach Road was festooned with scores of white balloons. On a huge oak was a hand-lettered sign that read "Our hearts are with you Noah."

Most of the mourners arrived at about noon, and the service was over about 2:15 p.m. during a day with battleship gray skies and the occasional plaintive whistle from the Metro-North trains in the distance.